Railway’s free-scoring forwards turned on the style under the Station View lights to send their supporters home delirious with the club’s biggest win under boss Billy Miller and Ashforth’s three-year reign.

Railway's Nathan Cartman is denied late on

Farquharson clinched the match ball for and the man of the match award for a whole-hearted display upfront as Railway upset the for the second time in three days.

Frickley, of the league above Rail’, ended the match utterly deflated and questioning what had hit them.

Ashforth said: “The confidence at the moment is flying amongst the players. They all know exactly how we want to play. When you are putting in performances like that, and beating teams by seven goals to one, it’s phenomenal.

“I thought it was a complete performance. As much as it was hard to single any player out, for any player to score four, the man of the match would have to go to Malachi.”

The warning signs were evident early on as Nathan Cartman and Adam Baker spurned good chances to put Railway ahead, while Matt Heath’s bullet header was excellently saved.

The breakthrough came from Lawrence Hunter’s in-swinging corner, which was headed into his own net by Frickley full back Jameel Ible.

Frickley’s appeals for a goal were waved away just a minute later, when Thirkell cleared off his own line and within a flash, Baker pounced on neat play by Cartman to double Rail’s lead.

Five minutes before half-time, the game was gone as a contest when Farquharson stabbed in another fine Hunter corner.

After the break, Frickley fell apart and Farquharson scored three poachers goals in succession – the last one seeing the ball divert straight off him from visiting keeper Sam Leigh’s punt forward.

It would not be a Railway victory without a goal for Cartman, who took his season tally to 31 to make it seven.

The striker missed a late chance to embarrass Frickley further, before the visitors scored a consolation through Bobby Johnson after an error by the otherwise impeccable Rail’ stopper Tom Goodwin.